Bedding-clamp and foot-rest for folding-bed structure.



D. F. DYKE.

BEDDING CLAMP AND FOOT REST FOR FOLDING BED STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l. I915- Patented July 25, 1916.

DARRELL FRANK DYKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO THE EiENG COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BEDDING-CLAMP AND FOOT-BEST FOR FOLDING-BED STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 11916.

- Application filed June 1, 1915. Serial No. 31,388.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DARRELL FRANK DYKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bedding-Clamps and Foot- Rests for F olding-Bed Structure, of which the following is a specification,reference'being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof. v

The purposeof this invention is to provide an improved construction of folding bed, particularly designed with reference to use in folding sofa beds for affording a clamp for holding the bedding when the bed is folded up adapted to serve also as a foot-rest when the bed is extended.

It consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a folding sofa bed structure having the bed containing this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail plan view of one cornor of the outermost portion of the outermost section of the folding bed frame, section being made through the arm of the bedding clamp. Fig. 3 is a section at the line, 3-3, on Fig. 2. Fig. l is a detail side elevation of parts at the same corner as that shown in Fig. 8.

The general construction of the folding sofa bed shown in the drawings is not involved in this invention except in so far that the particular device which constitutes the invention being adapted to serve both as a bedding clamp for holding the bedding to the folding frame when it is folded up, and as a foot-rest,constituting a bedding stop, when the bed at extended position, it is associated with the outermost section of the folding bed frame. Any form of folding bed frame and any method and means of folding it with respect to the fixed frame which may be, for. example 'the sofa seat frame, may be employed, and the particular structure illustrated in these general respects need not be described except in gen eral for identification of the several parts.

A represents any form of frame of a combined sofa and folding bed.

B represents the folding bed frame, which may be in any form suitable for folding up into the fixed frame, comprising an outermost section, ,(hwhich atextended position of the bed frame is supported by any suitable form of legs, D. This outermost section of thebed frame is formed of angleiron side bars, U and angle-iron cross bar, C the cross bar'being secured to the side bars by the corner fittings, E, riveted to the horizontal flanges of the cross bar and side bar, said horizontal flanges being mitered to meet "edge to edge upon the horizontal web of the fitting, E, so that said horizontal flanges of the side bar and cross bar are in the same horizontal plane. is mounted upon the upper side of the horizontal flanges of the side and cross barsof said section, and has a lug, E projecting up in a plane parallel with the length of the side bar for the purpose of fulcruming on said fitting the arms, F F of the bedding clamp and foot-rest which comprises said arms and the cross-bar, F, which connects them into a rigid structure adapted to be fulcrumed by said arms on the bed section. The inner or fulcrumed end of each of said arms is of suitable width so as to afford at 7 connection at a considerable distance from the fulcrum, 7, for a spring, G, which extends from its connection at f longitudinally of the side rail above the horizontal flange of the latter and has its inner end hooked into said flange which is apertured at Z) for such engagement of the spring therewith. The fulcrum of the said. arms, F at f is far enough above the horizontal web of the corner fitting and above the plane of the horizontal flangesof the angleiron bars of the bed section to permit the end of the arm, F to carrythe spring consaid fulcrum, so that the spring extending from said connection to its connection at 7) on the side rail of the bed section, exerts its stress. in a line which is below the fulcrum and thereby tends to hold and lock the pivoted bedding clamp and foot-rest in the position shown in Fig. 3,that is, at its upstanding or foot-rest position; but upon being swung over inward from said position to carry the line of tension of the spring past the fulcrum, the spring operates to complete the throw and carry the clamp over down inward onto the bedding for clamping it as desired. While for the purpose of retaining the bedding against sideward displacement on the extended folding The fitting, E,

bed frame, it is preferable to have the longitudinal side bars of the bed sections, in-

eluding the outermost section to which the bedding clamp is secured, with the vertical flange upstanding from the horizontal flange, it is desirable to avoid liability of engaging the bed covers, blankets, etc., be-

- tween such an upstanding flange and the side of the clamp when it is folded down, because such engagement would tend to wear the bedding, and the same construction would involveithe liability to pinch the fingers of'any one manipulating'the structure in placing the bedding in position, folding it upcor unfoldingit, r

' It is preferred, therefore, to cut away the vertical flange of the longitudinal side bar; for a distance fromthe outer end' a little more than the length of the arm, F of the clampingdevice. When this is done, it may be found desirable or preferable to rein-' forcethe horizont'al flange of the side rail *iby applying upon the under side an anglelron stiffener, K,'with its vertical "flange turned down and extending inward a little beyond the termination of the vertical flange of the side-rail as seen in Fig. 4.

. In order to look the folding clamp and foot-rest atupstanding or foot-rest position so that it may not be liable to be accidenitally folded down by one leaning or pressing against it when standing at the foot of the bed, which, in view of the strength of the fsprings necessary to cause the device to firmly grip the bedding would be liable to in ure the feet. of the occupant of the bed 'at the time such an accident might occur, or

the hands of the operator engaged in manipw ulating the bedding at such time, a latching device is provided adapted to be automati- V cally operative for engaging and holding the clamp at upstanding position, and adapted to be readily released by manual 'operationwhenit is to be folded inward to clamping position. Thisdevice consists of any number, preferably two, latches, H pivoted upon the outer side of the cross bar, C

of the outermost bed section for swinging in vertical transverse plane, each of said latches having its upstanding end adapted to engage inward of the cross-rail, F, of the clamp and foot-rest, and having its lower end weighted as. shown at H so as totend to hold the first mentioned end in said engag- 1ng position. When two or more of such latches are employed, they are connecte'dby cross rod link or-tie rod, H which serves also as an operating rod for swinging them all at once out of thelr engaging position.-

Atthe points at which these latches extend across the lower edge of the cross-bar, F

j said cross-bar has notches, F, of suitable dimensions to permit the ends of the latches tofpass through the notches as the clamp swings up and out to its upstanding footrest position; and upon the inner or forward sideof the crossbar these notches are each masked or closed by a trip plate, H pivoted at its upper edge, and free to swing at its lower edge so that itvis swung out of the way'as the upper end of the latch moves through the notch in the outward swinging movement of the cross-bar, said trip plates being of such dimensions that they drop in behind the upper end of the latch when the clamp has completed its movement to locked upstanding position. The upper ends of the latches and the lower ends of the trip plate areso shaped relatively with respect to their respective pivots that no appreciable clearance between the two results from the trip} o ping and latching-movement described, and so'that at least the clamp and'foot-rest cannot be forced inward fromthe'position at which it is thus latched and engaged far enoughto carry the stress ofthe spring past the dead-center." f V, Iclaimz g 1. In 'combination'with the outermost bed section of a sectional bed bottom, a bedding clamp and foot-rest'hinged'to said section for swinging between clampingiand footrest position; means for stopping the up ward and outward swinging movement of said clamp at foot-rest position; aspring' operatingto complete the throw of the clamp to said position, said clamp and foot-rest comprising a cross-bar and open below the cross-bar; a latch pivoted on the outerbar of said outermost section, weighted for holding it positioned on its pivot with its engaging end extending'at the inner side of said cross-barat the upstanding position of said, footrest, and adapted to swing at a plane parallel to the vertical longitudinal plane of said cross-bar to clear the lower edge of the latter, the cross-bar having its lower edge notched, and a trip platehinged 7 on its inner side for closing said notch, the latter being positioned for the passage of the upper end of the latch therethrough in ,the outward swinging movement of the clamping member, and the trip plate being adapted to belifted by said latch in pass ing through the notch and to drop inbchind it at the stopped position ofthe clamping member.. r

2. In a folding bed structure, an outermost folding section having its outer end rail and its,siderails of angle iron, in combination with corner fittings which connect said side rails, said fittingscomprising each a horizontal web lodged' upon the upper 1 sides of thehorizontal web of the bed section rails and riveted thereto, .each of said fittings having an upstanding lug; a bedding clamp and foot-rest having at its ends 1e ver arms fulcrumed onsaid lugs respectively at the forward or inner corner of the fulcrumed end of said arms and at elevated corner fitting, and their vertical flanges cut away for a distance back from the meeting 5 mitered ends, said fittings having each an upstanding lug; a bedding clamp fulcrumed on said lugs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 27th day 20 of May, 1915.

DARRELL FRANK DYKE.

Witnesses:

FRANK J. SENG, JOHN M. BROST.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

